Article Abstract:
Fetal heart rate monitoring combined with fetal blood gas measurements during delivery may help doctors detect fetal asphyxia. Asphyxia means the fetus is not getting enough oxygen, which could damage the brain and other organs.
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Article Abstract:
Poor fetal oxygenation at birth appears to be associated with serious damage to the brain, lungs, and kidney among older preterm newborns. Thirty-seven newborns younger than 37 weeks gestation with blood chemistry indicating poor oxygenation at birth were matched with 37 newborns free of such symptoms for gestational age, birth weight, and year of birth. Infants were given an Apgar score based on incidence and severity of complications of the brain, heart and circulatory system, lungs, and kidneys. Poor fetal oxygenation at birth was associated with increased incidence and severity of complications in all of these systems in infants 32 to 36 weeks gestational age at birth. No association was found for infants born before 32 weeks gestation. The Apgar score at 1 minute of life was very useful in making an assessment of possible complications.
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Article Abstract:
An umbilical artery base deficit of more than 12 millimoles/liter (mmol/L) may be associated with serious newborn complications. The base deficit is a blood test which indicates characteristics of acidity, as might result from inadequate blood supply to the fetus during childbirth. Researchers used this test in the analysis of 174 newborn infants. Ten percent of children with base deficits of 12-16 mmol/L during childbirth had moderate or greater neurologic, respiratory or other complications. As the base deficit became more severe, the rate of complications from asphyxia increased to 40%.
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